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All you need to know about the Venice Tourist Tax

The Tourist Tax in Venice

First of all, there is no reason to be frightened by the Venice tourist tax. In fact, even if you had no exemption and have to pay it, it is relatively small.

Who is exempted? How much is it? How do you pay it?

We answer these and many more questions about the Venice tourist tax below.

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Venice Tourist Tax

Let’s clarify for you what kind of taxes there are in Venice, who must pay them, and how much they will cost you.

What is the tourist tax in Venice?

There are two types of so-called tourist taxes in Venice:

• One tax is called “tassa di soggiorno” or overnight tax.
• The other is called “contributo di accesso”, or contribution for the access. In other words, it is a day-trippers tax.

Tourists coming to Venice have to pay either one or the other tax.

What is the overnight tax in Venice?

The “overnight tax”, introduced in 2011, is a charge that is paid by all guests staying overnight in Hotels or B&Bs in Venice.

This tax goes from 1€ to 5€ per person per night and must be paid directly at your Hotel or B&B.

It is charged from the first day and up to 5 days. No tax must be paid from the 6th day onwards.

What is the new tourist tax in Venice?

The new tax had been announced first in February 2019. The city of Venice planned for the tax to be added automatically to the price of the ticket of all means of transportation reaching Venice.

Due to record-breaking floodings in 2019 and the covid-19 pandemic, the tax has not been introduced yet.

However, in July 2022, the chief of tourism of the city of Venice, Simone Venturini, announced that the tax would be introduced on the 16th of January 2023.

In December 2022, however, protests by the opposition in the city council, some business owners, and a some residents forced the local administration to discuss further the new tax and delay its introduction by at least 6 months.

How much is the tourist tax in Venice?

The cost is different for the two taxes in Venice mentioned above, the overnight tax and the day-tripper tax.

The cost of the overnight tax in Venice

The cost of the overnight tax in Venice is dependent on the stars of the Hotel, the length of the stay, and the number of people.

It is not difficult to calculate the total cost of the overnight tax one must pay. To do so, one must multiply the night tax (which depends on the location), the number of nights, and the number of people staying overnight:

Total cost: price per night * n. nights * n. people

The cost of the day-tripper tax in Venice

The cost of the access tax to Venice has a base cost of 6€/person.

Since this measure is meant not just to bring money to the city, but also to encourage or discourage tourism on a given day, the daily cost can vary:

A lower tax when few tourists are expected to visit the city.

A higher tax when many tourists are expected to visit the city

There are a total of 4 different scenarios and taxes:

• A fixed 3 euro/person tax when very few people are expected to visit the city – Green Light
• A fixed 6 euro/person tax on a normal day – Yellow Light
• A fixed 8 euro/person tax when an excessive number of people are expected to visit the city – Red Light
• A fixed 10 euro/person tax when an overwhelming number of people is expected to visit the city – Black Light

Will people be charged two tourist taxes in Venice?

No, people will only pay one tax or the other.

Indeed, the two different tourist taxes in Venice are created for two different kinds of visitors:

The overnight tax was created for overnight visitors and is paid in proportion to the number of nights spent in Venice and on the “level”/stars of the accommodation.

The day-tripper tax was created for visitors who don’t spend the night in Venice and varies depending on the number of people that are expected to visit the city on that day.

Who must pay the tourist tax in Venice?

Again, it depends on whether or not you stay overnight.

All people that stay overnight in Venice must pay the overnight tax for up to 5 nights.

All people over 6 years of age coming to Venice on a day trip must pay the day-tripper tax.

When will day trippers be charged the tourist tax in Venice?

The day-tripper tax in Venice was expected to be launched on the 16th of January 2023.

Local opposition in the city council, some business owners, and some citizens has delayed its introduction by 6 months at least.

How does this new tax in Venice work?

Visitors planning a day trip to Venice must book their visit in advance through a booking platform that the city is currently setting up.

The cost per person will range from 3 to 10 euros depending on how busy the city is expected to be on the day of the visit: the busier the city, the higher the tax.

Why is there a tourist tax in Venice?

The first Venice tourist tax was created in the early 2000s. It was created to generate some revenue for the city through the tourists staying overnight in Venice and in the Comune di Venezia.

Since tourists did bring revenue to certain businesses and hotels, but also added costs to all residents, the City decided to charge a small fee to overnight tourists to collect money that would then be used for covering certain costs.

Consider that, for example, the city of Venice is cleaned entirely by hand. In the morning you can see garbage collectors roaming the city to sweep the streets with their brooms and collect garbage door to door. Tourism increases enormously the amount of litter around the city and, if no tax would be paid, the cost of cleaning would fall entirely upon the local community.

Why did Venice create a day-tripper tax?

While there are 4 million visitors who come to Venice and stay overnight, there are 5 times more day-trippers!

Unfortunately, these 20 million day-trippers increase the costs of maintenance of the city but do not contribute to the increased expenses. This meant that Venetians, which are less than 50.000, had to bear the increased costs caused by 20 million non-contributing day trippers.

What will the tourist tax money used for in Venice?

The local government has stated that the money coming from the day-trippers tourist tax will be used to decrease some of the costs that Venetians have to bear.

For example, the tourist tax will lower the Garbage Tax that Venetians must currently pay which is quite high.

I don't want to pay the tourist tax in Venice, what can I do?

Tourists coming to Venice must pay a tax, either the overnight tax or the day-tripper tax.

However, there is one way around the day-tripper tax that might be interesting for those visitors who come to Venice often as day-trippers: buying a Venezia Unica card.

The Venezia Unica card is a personal card that costs 100€ and is valid for 5 years.

It exempts owners from paying the access tax and allows them to buy tickets for public water transportation at 1,5€ per fare instead of 9.50€ per fare.

In any case, these taxes should not be perceived necessarily as something bad: the money is used to help preserve that very same place that you came to visit and appreciate!

What happens if I don't pay the tourist tax in Venice?

The city of Venice is an island and it can be accessed only from a few places. Local police will be at those locations and check that visitors have paid either of the taxes.

Failing to pay the day-tripper tax for people who have are not staying overnight in Venice will lead to a fine of 50 to 300 euros.

Are there exemptions to the tourist tax in Venice?

Yes, there is a great number of people who do not need to pay the day-tripper tax:

• People residing in the Veneto Region
• Whoever is staying in a hotel in Venice and is already paying the overnight tax
• Children under 6 years of age
• Owners of the Venezia Unica city pass
• People with disabilities
• People who have an appointment at the Venice hospital
• Football supporters coming to Venice to support their team playing against Venice.
• People who are attending a funeral in Venice
• Law enforcement
• The close family of whoever is renting an apartment in Venice
• The extended family of whoever resides in Venice

I have a Venezia unica card do I have to pay the tourist tax in Venice?

The Venezia Unica card only exempts you from paying the day-tripper tax in Venice.

The overnight tax in Venice is charged even to tourists who own a Venezia Unica card.

Do I have to pay the day-tripper tax if I'm staying in a hotel in Venice?

If you stay in a Hotel in Venice or the Comune di Venezia, or if you stay in a B&B in this same area, you must not pay the day-tripper tax to Venice.

What do locals think about the day-tripper tax in Venice?

Some say “Finally!”.

A few say “that’s wrong, Venice should be free!”.

Some others mention that the entity of the tax (a relatively small amount of money that most people will be able and ready to spend) won’t affect reduce mass tourism but only bring money to the city:

the city might be able to provide better services thanks to the money, but the problem of day-trippers coming in masses is not being tackled.

What do visitors think about the tourist tax in Venice?

As Venezia Autentica we managed to grow a big and engaged community of Venice lovers who share their opinion with us daily on our social media channels.

We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding the creation of a tax for day-trippers.

Most of our followers stay overnight and have informed us that they feel good about paying the overnight tax, as they believe it is right to share the added costs of maintenance of Venice that tourism brings.

What do we think about the tourist tax in Venice?

Some of the best places we ever visited had a (much higher) tax, and we don’t regret one second having paid for them.

Actually, we felt good about it and would do it over and over again… as long as we can see that our contribution is well spent.

What would we want the tourist tax in Venice to be used for:

• Services for locals and for tourists.
• Public toilets.
• Social housing

Of course, we have concerns about the day-tripper tax, too. Mainly, two concerns.

Firstly, we believe there is a need for transparency and accountability: in Italy, things often end up not being the way they could and should have been.

Secondly, logistics. Indeed, we don’t know yet how the solution and the many exemptions will be implemented for all the people who either live in Venice, work in Venice, have relatives in Venice or stay overnight and should therefore only pay the overnight tax.

Moreover, tight controls on busy days would generate enormous queues, forcing people to wait in line for hours. On the other hand loose controls at the entrances to Venice would soon pass the message that one can not pay the tax and get away with it.

We believe it will be crucial for the city to figure out the best way to manage this complex matter as it will be what either makes or breaks the charging system.

It is crucial to get the logistics right as the revenue that it could generate could be crucial to improving life in Venice, both for the locals and for the visitors.

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The new Venice Tourist tax

Update november 2023.

Ok, finally we are on our way. At the city council meeting on November 23, 2023, the calendar was approved. Instead of 30 days, it will be 29. It’s really very simple… A block from April 25 to May 5, and then every weekend until mid-July, except for June 1, and 2. And you only pay between 8.30 am and 4 pm on those days.

The fee will be a flat 5 euro, and there are no reductions. You pay the fee at this website:

http://cda.ve.it

The website is not up when I’m writing this, but it will be active soon. You will book/register your visit, and pay for the entrance online. Then you receive a QR code to keep in the event of a control. The fee is due only if you enter the historical city of Venice, not the islands… Burano, Murano, Lido, etc. And it’s not due for Piazzale Roma and Tronchetto. So, you can get down to the Venice Port via Piazzale Rome without paying the fee.

Now, here’s the trick. Some of you are excluded from both paying and registering, and some are not liable to pay but are required to register at the website all the same.

These are excluded and do not have to register at all:

• Residents of the city of Venice
• Professionals (Employees or Self-employed), and Students of any grade.
• Owners of real estate in Venice for which property tax (IMU) is paid, with family.

These have to register at http://cda.ve.it but are exempted from paying the access fee:

• Residents of the region of Veneto
• Anyone who is staying at a hotel or similar accommodation for which the normal tourist tax is paid inside the City of Venice (Mestre, Marghera…)
• All children up to 14 years of age.
• Those in need of medical care, participants in sports events, officials, etc.
• Spouses, cohabitants, and relatives up to the third degree of a resident of the city of Venice.
• Click here for more about who is and isn’t excluded from the fee.

Update September 2023

The city council met on September 12, 2023. And after a very turbulent meeting (making the British House of Commons look like an afternoon chess game in comparison), the predicted votes came out in favor of the center-right majority.

What that means is that 2024 will be a test for the upcoming Venice tourist Tax. On thirty (30) of the 366 days of 2024, the Access fee will be applied. The precise days on which it will be applied will be communicated at a later date, but the council has informed us that it most probably will be on major long weekends in spring and summer, e.g. when the tourist flow is at its greatest.

• Furthermore, the Tax will be a flat 5 euros. For this test period, the colors and differentiated fees will not be applicable.
• For children of 14 years and under, there will be no charge.
• Information about how the fee is to be paid is (as always) somewhat vague. It is probable that you will have to simply purchase a ticket. An online platform is promised to resolve all these issues and questions.

Update November 2022

The start date for the Venice tourist tax has been postponed again. For now, no fee will be charged for entering the lagoon city. And so it will be at least until the end of summer. A technical commission of the city council is preparing the details, and Michele Zuin, the responsible city counselor, says it will likely have to wait until next year. Just considering the dates, and the fact that the final text still has to be determined and confirmed, it cannot be in effect until at least 2024.

First of all, there have been some issues. Like that is something new…

Anyway, the Venetians, some of them, are really pissed off. There have been demonstrations and protests from a part of the population. As always the opinion is divided, and just like many are opposed to the idea of charging money just to enter the city, others are in favor of the idea. It depends… We don’t want Venice to become even more of an artificial Disneyland, but then again, many feel it’s necessary to limit the tourist flow.

More than 200 considerations have been brought to the city council about this reform. Positive and negative, proposed adjustments, and possible consequences. The technical commission is evaluating all of them.

And then there are all the technical problems. They promised a website/online platform where everything was explained in a perfectly informative manner, and where you could book your visit with a click. And it should have been ready more or less now, well before 2023. But it’s not. And what I understand from speaking to people within the administration, they are quite far from getting it ready. It won’t be up and running for quite some time.

So, they put it on hold again. And since some of the regulations are being changed, they have to give it 6 months from the decision in the city council until it will be functional… It is possible to get a green light before the new year, but not probable. If it is not decided on this side of the festivities, we will probably see it slide all the way into autumn.

The changes in the rules don’t really affect the tourists all that much. It is more about residents in the region and other minor details. One thing that could be of interest is that it seems that the city council is in favor of limiting the access fee to Venice, and not requiring any payment for visits to the islands, Lido, Murano, Torcello, etc. It’s just that to get out there, you normally would need to pass through Venice, and thus still pay the tax.

So, again, I’m so sorry I don’t have any definite information on the subject. We will have to wait… (O how I hate that expression…).

Update July 2022

Now it’s confirmed. The first part of the new Day-tourist tax system will be implemented starting on January 16, 2023. From that date, the cost for entering Venice will be from 3 to 10 euro as specified below. Later this year there will be a system online/website that allows anyone to book in advance and pay the ticket for entering. How exactly this will be carried out, is still to be seen.

The authorities are somewhat vague on this point, but they say that the online system will be up and running well before the system is operational. That would mean that the different levels of day tariffs (3 – 10 euro) have to be decided in advance. The idea is that the program when working shall make these adjustments along the way, and set the correct amount for each day based on previous tourist flow, seasonal variables, and a row of set parameters. It’s a very advanced and completely automatic system, at least that’s what they say.

Here’s a direct quote from City Counselor Michele Zuin:

In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about how to better control presences in the city, but few concrete ideas were pitched. The integrated system we are presenting today is intended to better manage tourist flows, and not to make cash, representing an incentive for more orderly tourism. The proceeds from the entry fee will be used first of all to pay the costs for the introduction of the system and then to lower residents’ TARI bills (a municipal tax on the cost of disposal of household waste). Setting limits on entrances at certain times may be necessary, but this does not mean closing the city. Venice will always remain open to everyone. However, we believe that visiting it is more beautiful, peaceful, and safe if people book ahead. Such measures will also allow residents to experience their city better.

An informational campaign will be launched later this year with all the specifics. For now, we know that it actually will come… It will be a reality, the wheels are in motion. And that is quite a step ahead compared to the last years. And most important of all, now we have a date…

16 of January 2023.

Update may, 2022.

It’s not really a hundred percent official, but Mayor Brugnaro as well as other city officials have said that the start of the City Tax will be put forward until January 1, 2023. And that seems logical. We are already in a full-blown tourist flow into the city. After the pandemic, the waves of visitors have returned with as much force as before the Covid lockdowns, and maybe even more.

So, what they are indicating is a test round for 2022, a kind of validation to see if the tourists are prone to submit to new ways to access the city. These will be very small adjustments, mostly in the way of booking and planning the visit to the lagoon city before arriving. Although that shouldn’t be a problem for the vast majority of visitors, it’s still quite a step from just showing up. It is normally free to come and go as you please wherever you are in the western world. Only border crossings have their special requirements, but after having entered the national territory, you move wherever you want.

Anyway, this is what Simone Venturini, municipal councilor responsible for tourism, says:

– We will start with an experimentation phase where our daily tourists will be invited to sign up for the visit at the website that we are completing as we speak. Those who book will receive incentives such as a reduction in admission to museums or other forms of discounts. We are still refining it and all will be announced in the coming weeks. Those who do not book in advance, will not be offered any incentives. All this will be ready in 2023 when the City Tax will be in force.

City Tax postponed until 2023

So, there you have it.

• The Tax will be functional in 2023 (… for now). Probably from January 1.
• There will be four tariffs, 3, 6, 8, and 10 Euro depending on the tourist flow for that specific day. All the other rules and exclusions have been confirmed as well.
• In 2022, you will be able to book your access to Venice in advance. The pre-booking through the Municipality website will give you some sort of discount or reduction of the ticket cost for museums etc. What’s important is that, for now, you are not required to reserve your visit in advance, no one will be denied entering the city.

Update December 2, 2021

Yes, we have it confirmed. The City Council has decided on a budget for the period 2021 – 2023. In it, there is a new suspension of the City Tax. This time until June 1, 2022. There is also a specific nomination about “Access Gates”… A closed-off city? Well, like so many times before, we don’t know.

What we do know is that until June 1, 2022, there is no Tourist Tax in Venice.

Update November 2021

Spokespersons of the City of Venice are stating that the tax will in fact be implemented from January 2022, just as acknowledged on 18 December 2020 by the City Council. That could be so. But a few things speak against that being the case.

• The Calendar, with the various colors explaining the different amounts of crowds in the city, and thus determining the amount of the tax for that day, hasn’t been published. That should happen before September 30, for the following year according to the regulations.
• The new situation for the Cruise ship passengers docking in locations outside of the historical city hasn’t been resolved.
• The latest development in the Coronavirus crisis doesn’t encourage limitations to the tourist flow. When I’m writing this (end of November 2021), the biggest concern is the new South African Variant (also known as B.1.1.529 , or Omicron ). The numbers in many European countries are rising considerably and Italy is no exception, although we until now were better of than many other parts of Europe.
• The Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, sayd as late as September 3, 2021: “… We have to find the tools and technical solutions to allow people to enter the city…” That would mean that these solutions are not, as of September, in place.

From January 1, 2022, the Venice access fee is set to 6 euro for the vast majority of dates. On days with a low touristic flow, the tax will be 3 euro. On days with a high number of visitors, the fee will be 8 euro, raising to 10 euro for days with exceptionally large crowds. will probably be 3 euro on days with normal tourist flow, and 6 euro on days with exceptional crowds. Visitors staying in a hotel or B&B inside the city of Venice do not pay this additional tourist tax.

When fully functional…

there will be 4 colors;

• grey (normal), 6 euro
• green (few tourists) 3 euro
• red (many tourists) 8 euro
• black (crowded) 10 euro

It’s reasonable to believe that the vast majority of the days will be grey.

You can visit for up to seven consecutive days, paying only for three days. In this case, you will pay for the three days with the highest tariff within that week.

18 tips for making your trip to Venice Awesome!

The new Venice tourist tax for Cruise-ships passengers.

The cruise-ship passengers will pay a flat 7 euro. This is to make it easier for them to handle the tickets. (I just don’t understand why a cruise ship passenger would ever pay 7 euro if he could just walk in, get the ticket from the machine, and pay 6 or even 3 euro. But that is one of the issues that probably will be solved further on.)

As of November 2021, it is not clear if passengers on Cruise ships docking at the temporary ports in Fusina and other locations will be charged the flat 7 euro tax or the 3 to 10 euro tax.

The Venice tourist tax is not due for anyone staying at a hotel or any other touristic reception structure within the city of Venice (Mestre and Marghera included).

In what way do you pay the Venice tourist tax?

From high tech solutions to old time paper tickets.

When we first heard about the tourist tax back in 2019, the word was almost exclusively about microchips and other advanced technological solutions. As time went by, the authorities more and more aimed at very traditional and normal ways to charge the tourist tax.

There will definitely be machines from where you can purchase the day ticket. And there will definitely be an App for your smartphone or iPhone to upload the fee. As soon as the App is ready, I will post a link here.

Other factors that could compromise the deal…

2020 was a disaster for the tourist industry in Venice. From the last days of Carnival until December the city was more or less completely closed down. 15 -20 % of the restaurants, bars, hotels, etc didn’t make it and was closed for good. Those who did survive did so with huge losses in income.

By summer 2020 there were signs of an end to the disease altogether. The numbers were very low and people came out of their hiding places. Restrictions were still in place though, and Venice had few tourists, mostly domestic. And they didn’t make much of a difference to the balance of 2020.

Autumn of 2020 was nothing less than a total collapse, with overwhelmed hospitals, and well over a million active cases at any given point. It was evident to everybody that the tourist tax idea was to be postponed.

2021 started out with a positive forecast. The measures had an effect and slowly the restrictions were eased. What happened in Venice was an explosion of domestic and European tourists. Suddenly the city was as full as ever with crowds in every corner, and lines outside the few attractions that were open. By summer more restrictions, especially those concerning international travel and museums’ and attractions’ opening hours were lifted, and even more tourists arrived. Summer 2021 was crazy…

And the autumn continued in the same way. We congratulated ourselves on having very low numbers of infections. And this is probably the reason why the City seems to have decided to actually go through with the tourist tax idea.

Now it’s November, and in just a few weeks the situation has changed. We can no longer look at the SARS-CoV2 in an optimistic light. Things are going downhill again. And this is why I think the tourist tax will be postponed once again. But that’s just my own prophecy. We will have to what and see… Just like so many times before.

Who has to pay the Venice tourist tax?

Anyone who’s coming into Venice or the Islands in the lagoon and doesn’t stay in a hotel, B&B, or any other official accommodation inside the city, Venice or Mestre, and thus already is paying the local city tax of 2 – 5 euro. To be absolutely clear: If you pay the tourism tax, Tassa di soggiorno , at the hotel you don’t have to pay the new access fee.

• Residents in Venice.
• Residents in Veneto.
• Tenants in Venice or the island in the lagoon with a non-tourist contract, with family.
• Spouses, partners, and relatives up to the 3rd degree to anyone living in Venice or on any of the islands in the lagoon.
• Anyone with a valid “ Venezia Unica ” travel document
• Employees in Venice, or self-employed. Also, anyone who’s there for a meeting or a temporary appointment, etc.
• Anyone who has a house in Venice and pays the tax, IMU, for that property, with family.
• Students and pupils of any educational facility in Venice or on any of the islands in the lagoon.
• Anyone who’s in for voluntary work, for health treatment, other official business, etc, etc. Also, those who accompany and/or assist people who are in Venice for medical treatment.
• Anyone who participates in sports competitions recognized by the CONI, its Federations or by authorized Sports Associations, e.g. Venice Marathon.
• Children under 6 years of age.
• People with severe disability and assistants.
• Those born within the city of Venice. If you live in Sydney or Kairo doesn’t matter. If you were born here you’re excluded.
• And a whole lot of other cases…

Major Luigi Brugnaro about the Venice Tourist Tax.

How do you pay?

Any official transport service that brings in people to Venice , trains, buses, taxis, ships, and even anyone who offers arriving at the airport at Lido (… which would be improbable as it’s closed for passenger traffic) should provide the tickets. Either as a separate ticket or as a surcharge to the existing travel fee.

Other than that, the Venice tourist tax ticket will probably be available through normal channels, ticket offices, newsstands, as well as online and via the official App. You will also have the possibility to buy the ticket automated ticket machines. The companies selling the ticket have to make sure the tax is paid, asking for documentation of the reason for exclusion. It is not meant to be complicated for the visitor, but a very simple surcharge.

Limited Traffic Area.

The Major has spoken of the necessity to book in advance to be able to get in. But he’s also declared that no one will be left outside. In the future, there could be a smart chip and the possibility to read it off from a distance. Probably checking all the traffic coming in without putting up the infamous gates at the entrance.

He’s also been talking about making Venice a ZTL , limited traffic area, much like the C-zone in Milan . That way nobody could access the city in a private car, and thus sneaking in without paying the tax through official transportation.

The C-zone in Milan

It works like this: Every workday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. traffic is limited. If you have a reasonably clean vehicle, you can get in if you pay. If you have an old car you don’t get in even with a ticket. Police, Ambulances, and a whole lot of others are excluded. But all this will have to wait at least until 2022, and probably even further.

Destinazione Venezia

The “Destination Venice”-ticket is a surcharge to the existing ticket fee when traveling with ACTV,  ATVO, Arriva, or Busitalia. It will be implemented when Venice applies a tourist tax for travelers entering the city starting from January 1, 2022.

It could mean a competitive advantage as it makes it easier to manage the extra bureaucracy. These companies cover most or almost all of the buses to Venice within the larger metropolitan area.

He talks a lot our Major.

About fines. For the single tourist, there will be fines from 100 to 450 if you don’t pay the Access Fee. But it seems that this could only happen if you declare falsely… Since it’s the transport company who’s responsible and they should enforce the payment or at least inform about it. But we still don’t know exactly how this is going to be done.

For them, the bus-, train-, and taxi companies, on the other hand, the fines will be a little heavier.

For those staying in a hotel outside the City of Venice (meaning outside of  Mestre and Marghera as well), but within the region of Veneto, the fee will be partial.

Here’s a link to the city of Venice website explaining everything more thoroughly in Italian.

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The Complete Venice Tourist Taxes Guide

Updated: Feb 7

Are you visiting Venice soon and want to know more about Venice tourist taxes ? Learn in this Venice tourist fee guide about the difference between the Venice entrance fee and the Venice overnight tax , how to pay them, and how to get a spot to visit this incredible Italian city.

Get the lowdown on all Venice tourist tax regulations in one place with this helpful guide.

The Complete Venice Tourts Taxes Guide is part of the Venice Travel Guide , where you can find all the information you need to visit Venice, from what to eat and where to stay, the best souvenirs to buy in Venice, and the unmissable places to see.

Venice is looking for sustainable tourism; we should all be happy about it.

In April of 2022, Easter weekend was bustling with tourists who had come to explore Venice's main attractions, such as the Palazzo Ducale and the Piazza San Marco.

During this time, there was a peak of 160,000 visitors on Saturday, 16th April - showcasing the gradual recovery of tourist numbers that Venice has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.

For many years now, Venice has been facing the issue of over-tourism. In 2019, a staggering 30 million travelers visited Venice, making it difficult for its infrastructure to handle the overwhelming influx of visitors.

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Most notably, much of this tourism was from day trippers who did not contribute any revenue to the city's tourism industry, like booking accommodation, visiting museums, shopping, and eating out ( and they missed a lot ).

Venice has taken several measures to balance the influx of tourists with the needs of the local population. One of them was a ban on big cruise ships entering its lagoon .

I can imagine being on a cruise and entering Venice. The view from up there is undoubtedly stunning, but this ruined the city by polluting the canals and contributing to the deterioration of the city's foundation.

We all want to preserve a fantastic city like Venice, am I right?

Venice is introducing an innovative booking system to manage visitor numbers further. This new system is expected to help meet the demands of both locals and travelers alike .

We should all be okay with paying the local tourist tax. Even if you don't meet the requirements to be exempt from it, the amount of the tax is relatively small.

Are you looking to explore authentic Venice , Italy? Look no further - I've got tips, tools, and stories explicitly curated to help you better understand and appreciate Venice.

I have visited Venice many times; it is only two hours from my hometown Trieste. I visited Venice in every season, and I saw how crowded it can get.

During summertime, Venice is so overcrowded you cannot walk. To get somewhere where normally you would walk for only ten minutes, you can easily spend one hour just because every street is packed with tourists, not to mention the risk of falling into the canals.

Travel Tip: Please don't think having a dip into Venice canals could be refreshing. It's pretty disgusting because many houses and old hotels still release sewage into Venice canals, so be aware before refreshing your feet in it.

European Travel Alert!

If you are from the US and want to travel to Europe, complete an ETIAS visa-waiver form before your trip and pay the €7 ($7.25) fees. This easy-to-complete form should give you instant approval, but it's recommended that travelers plan and submit their documents a few weeks in advance of their departure date.

Tips : As soon as you book your next adventure, make sure to buy good travel insurance in case you need to “unfortunately” delay, extend or cancel your trip. I recommend SafetyWing . A great insurance company to cover everything about your travel.

More Venice travel resources:

Learn all the tips & info before visiting Venice by checking my “ The Ultimate Venice Travel Guide “ as well as these popular articles:

How to plan your first-time visit to Venice

24 Gifts from Venice your family will love

The Most scenic alfresco restaurants in Venice with a stunning view

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Venice, a popular tourist destination, recently implemented a new fee. This fee is aimed at managing the increasing demand and preserving the city's cultural heritage.

If you're planning a trip to Venice , it's important to be aware of this fee and its details. Keep reading to learn more about the Venice tourist fee .

Read the Ultimate Venice Tourists Taxes Guide

LET’S DIVE RIGHT IN...

Why is Venice charging Tourists?

The city council will introduce a new entry fee to prevent the city of Venice from being overrun by tourists. Visitors to the historic Italian city must pay anywhere from €2-€10 ($2-$11) if they stay for less than 24 hours.

This booking system intends to help preserve one of Italy's most popular tourist destinations, so it is an excellent way to take care of the world's most romantic city.

Travel Tip : if you have never been to Venice, you probably have no idea how crowded the city can get during the summertime and the Carnival month . Venice has so many tourists that you cannot walk along canals without risking falling into the water (and the canal's water is full of sewage drains, so not inviting for a dip).

The areas where the fee will apply:

Venice has imposed a tourist fee for visitors to its iconic city center and the other islands you should visit in Venice : Lido di Venezia, Pellestrina, Murano , Burano , Torcello , Sant'Erasmo, Mazzorbo, Mazzorbetto, Vignole, Sant'Andrea, La Certosa, San Servolo and Poveglia.

Tourists must pay this fee to access these historically significant areas of Venice.

Do I need to pay a fee to enter Venice?

If you ( like many other travelers ) dream about your next trip to Venice to explore this famous and romantic city and wonder if you must register to go to Venice, the answer is yes!

Keep that in mind before booking your plane ticket, and make sure there are still spots available for your vacation in Venice.

Don't forget to read " How to plan the best holiday in Venice "

Looking to save money?

Click on the widget below to see all deals for venice, what are the venice tourist fee and the venice tourist tax.

If you're considering a trip to Venice , here is what you need to know about taxes: who must pay them, how much they'll cost, and what types of taxes are applicable.

What is the difference between the Venice tourist tax and the Venice tourist fee?

Tourists visiting Venice are now liable for two types of taxes :

the "tassa di soggiorno" or overnight tax, anyone staying in Venice more than one night has to pay;

the "contributo di accesso," a day-trippers tax for anyone coming for a day.

Both fees can be paid either online or on arrival .

Tip : The easest solution for you is to pay the "overnight stay" when you check in at the hotel and if you visit Venice on a day trip, book your entrance ticket online in advance.

Do you need to pay the Venice tourist tax and the Venice tourist fee?

No, you won't have to pay both taxes, only one of them .

The overnight tax is only paid by those staying overnight , and the amount is based on the number of nights spent in Venice and the accommodation's star rating.

The day-tripper tax affects those visiting without an overnight stay ( visiting Venice on a day trip ) and is calculated according to the number of people expected to see that day.

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EVERYTHING ABOUT THE VENICE TOURIST FEE

Visiting Venice has gotten more complex (nothing to be scared about), introducing a new tax. To plan your day trip, you must book your visit using the city's booking platform .

What is the Venice tourist fee?

Travelers who want to visit Venice must pre-book and pay a fee.

The new tax Venice planned to implement was announced in February 2019, which would be added to the tickets of any public transport reaching the city. It was set for an introduction in January 2023, but great floods and the pandemic postponed its add-on.

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How much is the entrance fee to Venice?

The city of Venice has established an access tax of 5€/person. To manage the volume of daily tourism and limit overcrowding, the Venice tax's daily cost will fluctuate depending on how many visitors are expected in the city.

There will be a lower tax amount on days when few tourists are expected, while there will be a higher tax cost on days with an increased number of tourists.

So, how much will the entrance fee cost in Venice?

A tiered tax system has been implemented to help manage crowds in the city:

A 3 euro per person tax ( Green Light ) is applied when fewer people are expected to arrive.

A 6 euro per person tax ( Yellow Light ) regularly applies, while an -8 euro/person tax (Red Light) applies when excessive travelers are expected.

10 euro per person tax ( Black Light, the highest one ) applies when there are overwhelming visitors.

Why is Venice charging an entry fee?

The locals have faced a burden with 5 times more day tourists than long-term visitors to the city. With 20 million daily visitors coming and going, these people caused a significant increase in maintenance costs for the town but didn't contribute anything back.

To ensure that locals don't have to bear this added financial expense alone, a tourist fee will be implemented for each non-contributing traveler.

18 Incredible places to see in Venice

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What will the tourist fee money be used for in Venice?

The funds collected from day-trippers will decrease what Venetians must pay to use public services and help reduce costs such as the Garbage Tax, which is currently very high.

How do I register to enter Venice?

The website is ready, and you can book your ticket on the official Venice Access Fee website .

Are there going to be entrance gates to enter Venice?

Venice is an island, and there are only a few entrances. The police will be stationed at the few access points to Venice, so ensure you have paid these taxes before entering the island.

When will travelers have to pay to visit Venice?

Venice tourism office has recently announced that their Venice Access Fee, which was initially planned to go into effect on 16th January 2023, will start to be implemented from April 2024.

You won't need to pay the Venice Entrance Fee every day. They decide to have a trial period, so check out if you need to pay this fee for the days you plan to visit Venice here .

Don't forget to read " How to plan a vacation in Venice "

Looking for the best Activities in Venice?

Click on the widget below to find the best ones available, who will be charged, and what are the exemptions.

Are you looking to save some money on your next vacation in Venice? Here are all the answers to your question about avoiding paying the Venice tourist fee.

Who will have to pay the entry fee to visit Venice?

All visitors to Venice must pre-book their visits in advance. However, residents and their family members, children under six, and guests staying overnight at a local hotel are exempt from the entry fee.

Check out the best deals to purchase tickets for Venice and skip the line!

Who will be exempt from booking a Venice entrance ticket?

Venice, the City of Masks, will soon use a mobile app to grant access to its turnstiles.

People who don't need to pay the Venice entrance fee:

Local commuters living in the Veneto region,

Kids under 6 years of age,

People with disabilities,

People staying in a Venice hotel,

Football supporters coming to Venice to support their team playing against Venice,

Workers will all have access to the virtual key, which allows them to pass through these security checkpoints. The technology is set to improve the ease of travel for those in and out of Venice daily,

Owners of the Venezia Unica city pass,

People wanted to go to the Venice hospital,

People who have to attend a funeral in Venice,

Relatives of people living in Venice,

Law enforcement.

Who has to pre-book entry to Venice?

Everyone wishing to visit Venice on a day trip must pre-book their entry in advance to guarantee access to the city unless they are exempted.

Do I have to pre-book my Venice entrance a lot in advance?

A maximum number of tourists will be allowed to enter Venice each day, and priority will be given to students, day workers, and those who have pre-booked their entry.

If the threshold is met, any additional tourists will not be permitted access, so plan your trip to Venice.

Dreaming of your next trip?

Have questions or feel overwhelmed? You’ve come to the right place. I offer you ideas, inspiration, and practical advice on how to turn your next potential holiday into reality.

Do you want free packing checklists, travel discounts, and travel itineraries?

How do you pay to enter Venice?

Wondering "How do I book tickets for Venice?" You can pre-book and pay for your entrance to Venice on the website by card on the official Venice website.

Will there be fines if I don't book my entrance to Venice?

Local police will be checking for proof of payment at all Venice entrances. Please comply with this requirement to avoid a fine between 50 and 300 euros ( so don't ruin your vacation to save a couple of euros; pre-book it in advance and have a wonderful time in Venice ).

How can I don't pay the Venice entrance fee?

The only way to avoid paying the Venice entrance fee is by buying a Venezia Unica Card ( that costs 100 euros and lasts 5 year s).

If you visit Venice only on a day trip, paying the Venice entrance fee is the cheapest option.

Planning to See More Places in Italy?

How to plan a vacation in Italy

The ultimate guide to visiting Trieste

Rome travel guide: plan the perfect holiday in Rome

What is the Venezia Unica Card?

The Venezia Unica card is valid for 5 years and costs 100€. This card provides owners access to discounted tickets on public water transportation at 1.5€ per fare instead of 9.50€ per fare ( it is an excellent card only if you live or work in Venice ).

24 Most authentic souvenirs to buy in Venice

The Most stunning alfresco restaurants in Venice

17 Incredible museums you have to visit in Venice

VENICE TOURIST TAX / OVERNIGHT STAY TAX

Venice is a famous city that tourists flock to in droves. Visitors must account for the tourist tax, or "tassa di soggiorno," which is mandatory for all stays in the city. But who does it apply to, how much do you need to pay, and how can it be paid?

This article answers all these questions regarding the tourist tax in Venice.

What is Venice's tourist tax?

Tourists staying in Hotels or B&Bs in Venice must pay a nightly "overnight tax." This fee is levied on visitors and starts at 1€ per person per night but may increase to 5€.

It must be paid directly at the Hotel or B&B. The tax applies for the first five days of an individual's stay, and there is no charge from the sixth day onwards.

How do I pay the Venice tourist tax?

You will pay the Venice tourist tax at the moment of your accommodation check-in, and you can pay by card or cash.

Need some Travel Tips?

Check out my Travel Tips section , where you will find all the help, tips, and tricks to plan your next adventure in the most organized way!

What happens if I don't pay the Venice tourist tax?

There is no way you can avoid paying the Venice tourist tax. Your accommodation manager will charge you for it at your check-in.

How much is the Venice tourist tax?

When visiting Venice, the overnight tax you must pay depends on the quality of the hotel you are staying in, the length of your stay, and the number of people who will be staying with you.

Calculating the total cost is simple - multiply the night tax (depending on where you are), the number of nights, and the number of people staying at the accommodation.

The price of the tourist tax in Venice during the low season:

€1.50 per day for B&B;

From €0.75 to €1.25 per day for guest houses (depending on the category)

€0.50 per day for 1-star hotels;

€1.00 per day for 2-star hotels;

€1.50 per day for 3-star hotels;

€2.00 per day for 4-star hotels;

€2.50 per day for 5-star hotels.

The price of the tourist tax in Venice during the high season:

€3.00 per day for B&B;

From €1.00 to €2.50 per day for guest houses, depending on the category;

€1.00 per day for 1-star hotels;

€2.00 per day for 2-star hotels;

€3.00 per day for 3-star hotels;

€4.00 per day for 4-star hotels;

€5.00 per day for 5-star hotels.

Remember that children under 10 do not have to pay the tourist tax.

Why do you have to pay a tourist tax?

To recoup some of the costs associated with funding city services such as infrastructure and maintenance, Venetian authorities implemented a tourist tax in the early 2000s.

The tourist tax is charged for overnight stays in Venice or other cities within the Comune di Venezia and helps support public services from which visitors and locals benefit.

This fee helps cover the cost of cleaning services, which are often done by hand in the early morning hours to collect garbage throughout the city. The tourism tax helps keep Venice's streets clean and its economy strong.

Where to have a local lunch in Venice

15 Most delicious local food to eat in Venice

The Most local restaurants in Venice you have to dine at

MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT VENICE

Want to know more about how to plan the perfect holiday in Venice?

Here are some other frequent questions you might need to know the answer to.

Can I use my debit card in Venice?

You can use your debit or credit card in Venice almost everywhere. It would be best if you had some cash only to purchase at some small shops or the local market.

Card payments are accepted almost everywhere in Venice.

Which Venice pass should I buy?

There are different Venice passes you can purchase:

The Vaporetto Pass to move around the island faster and visit the other beautiful Venice islands. See Vaporetto Pass here .

The Venice Public Transport Pass with Airport Transfer. See prices here .

St Mark Square Pass to visit all the sights around St Mark's Square. See St. Mark Square Museum Pass here .

The Venice City Pass is the perfect tourist pass for sightseeing in Venice. With this card, you'll receive fast-track access to Doge's Palace and Saint Mark's Basilica, two must-see sites in Venice. It also includes a beautiful gondola ride along the city's canals, a City Audio Guide App, and a Past and Presents Virtual Tour! When you book it online, you can select your preferred dates and times for each activity - then show your ticket on your smartphone once you arrive. See the Venice City Pass now!

The Venice Discovery Pass includes the entrance to the famous Doge's palace, a Vaporetto pass (Venice ferry pass), entrance to the best 15 churches in Venice, the Alilaguna boat transfer from Venice Marco Polo Airport to the city center, and a City Audio Guide App. See Venice Discovery Pass here.

What do you need to book in advance to visit Venice?

There are many things you should book in advance to visit Venice:

First of all, a flight and accommodation . The sooner, the better to find better deals and get the best prices (the best accommodation get fully booked a lot in advance).

A transfer from the airport to the city center. See here how to reach Venice from the Airport .

A gondola ride is a must-do; you can book a discounted gondola ride here .

A skip-the-line ticket to see all the museums you wish (to save money and time because the queue to enter Venice attractions can be 2 hours long, and I'm not joking). See all the Venice museums deals here .

The Venice city pass is a great way to save money and time when visiting Venice, and you can get it here.

Want to take stunning pics in Venice?

I have the right Photography course for you!

Check out One Education , the platform to find every possible course you have always wanted to take.

Do I need cash in Venice, Italy?

You can easily pay by card almost everywhere, but having cash is always a good idea when traveling.

Don't forget to read " How to plan your next holiday in Venice "

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

Venice is one of the world's most beautiful and captivating cities, but visitors should know that tourist entry fees have been put in place to help preserve the city. Those who come to Venice may need to pay a fee for entrance or access, which will go towards maintenance and preservation efforts for the area—ensuring its beauty for years to come!

More Destinations Travel Guides and more Travel Tips are added regularly, so hit the subscribe button to:

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all the packing checklists you need for free

BOOK YOUR TRIP TO VENICE: My Tips & Tricks

Psssst! I use these websites to find the cheapest prices.

Activities in Venice:

Viator and Get Your Guide are my go-to search engine for city tours, museum tickets, and attractions at the best price.

To explore the city by yourself, We Go trip offers audio guides to download on your phone, while Take Walks offers many guided tours.

Multiple day trips from Venice:

To book more than a 1-day trip, TourRadar is an excellent website where you can find private, group, and tailor-made multi-day organized adventures in 160+ countries worldwide .

How to move around Italy:

To move between cities, Trainline and Omio are websites to book bus and train tickets, while EconomyBookings is excellent for finding the cheapest car rental deals.

Need extra help?

Radical Storage is to find luggage storage while you explore the city .

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Venice is planning to introduce a tourist tax. Is this a sign of things to come?

In a bid to tackle overtourism, the Italian city is set to charge day-trippers a ‘tourist tax’ of up to €10 in 2023. But what does this mean for travellers, and will other destinations follow suit?

It’s long drawn tourists for its art and culture, but these days Venice is synonymous with something less appealing: overcrowding. The lagoon city, which has around 50,000 inhabitants in the centre, is swamped by around 20 million visitors a year – nobody is quite sure of the exact number because most of them are day-trippers, who are hard to count. Enter the ‘entry fee’ of up to €10 (£8.50) to access the floating city.

Why is this happening?

Around 90% of visitors to Venice are what the city calls ‘hit and runs’ – day-trippers, often bussed or boated in from the surrounding area and even as far away as Croatia. These visitors tend to spend less money in the city, clog the areas around the main sites, and leave plenty of rubbish in their wake.

Venice is a walkable city, and the main sites such as St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge are free, which means the ‘hit and runs’ contribute little to the economy but leave a massive impact. Around 158,000 tourists swamped the city on Easter Sunday this year – that’s a ratio of more than three visitors to every resident.

Authorities want to reduce the overcrowding. Their solution: to introduce an entry fee of up to €10 for day-trippers in the hope of putting some of them off, or persuading people to visit on a less busy day, when it’ll be cheaper to get in.

How will it work?

That’s not yet clear. This project was in the works before the pandemic and although solutions such as turnstiles and QR codes have been mooted, nothing has yet been confirmed. Many locals are vocally against turnstiles, arguing that they’d turn the city into the ‘theme park’ many tourists treat Venice like anyway.

However it’s enforced, the idea is that you book your day trip to Venice ahead of time to enable authorities to plan for busy days, and to encourage visitors to spread the numbers across the year. For instance, if you select a bank holiday or another day in peak season, you’ll get a message suggesting you rebook to avoid overcrowding, tourism councillor Simone Venturini told Italian state TV, RAI. If you continue, you’ll pay up to €10 for your ticket. Go on a quieter day and it will be €3 (£2.50).

I already paid a tourist tax on my last trip to Venice – will I pay twice?

No. Like many other major European cities, Venice already charges a ‘city tax’ for overnight guests. Introduced in 2011, Venice’s charge depends on the kind of accommodation, as well as the season and the area you’re staying in. It covers the first five nights of your stay – you could stay five nights or a month and you’d pay the same fee. The fee – from €1 (85p) to €5 (£4.25) per person per night – is payable to the hotel, B & B or rental you’re staying at.

There’s just one problem: day-trippers don’t pay this tax, yet they’re the ones who have the most impact on the city. The new entry fee aims to redress that balance. If you’re staying overnight (and therefore paying the original city tax), you’ll be exempt. In fact, the authorities hope the fee might encourage visitors to stay overnight, adding more to the local economy.

When will it start?

In April, the city council announced that the fee would be imposed from January 2023. However, the charge was first mooted in early 2019 and has been repeatedly pushed back, so don’t take that start date as gospel, particularly since they haven’t decided how to enact it yet. In the meantime, Venturini has said that the city will launch an online portal this summer to run as part of a pilot scheme. Visitors who voluntarily book through this scheme won’t have to pay the tax and will receive discounts and fast-track entry at tourist sites.

Will other destinations follow suit?

Quite possibly. Venturini told RAI that “other European cities who live with significant numbers of daytrippers are watching us” to understand how they can introduce something similar. Venice isn’t the first, either – hilltop Italian village Civita di Bagnoregio charges an entry fee of between €3 (£2.50) and €5 (£4.25). (Ironically, it was instigated in 2013 as a way of piquing interest to gain visitors.) Overnight tourist taxes, already widespread in Europe, look set to hit the UK soon, too, with the SNP keen to introduce one, despite not taking full control of the council in the recent elections. Wales is scheduling a consultation on a visitor tax for autumn 2022, though it’s not clear whether that would apply to day-trippers or those staying overnight.

But take heart – at least Venice’s €10 maximum pales in comparison to Bhutan, which taxes visitors upwards of $250 (£200) a day to keep numbers down.

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Tourist Tax information for guests

In the municipality of Venice, all guests staying in accommodation facilities (hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, etc.) are required to pay the Tourist Tax, which is collected directly by the facility manager.

• the period: high season (from 1 February to 31 December) and low season (from 1 January to 31 January);
• the type of accommodation: e.g. hotels, apartments, bed & breakfast, farm holidays;
• the area where the accommodation is located: historic centre, islands, mainland. For “tourist rentals”, the zone is the same for the entire municipal territory.

VeneziaUnica.it è il portale ufficiale della Città di Venezia dove trovare tutte le informazioni sull’offerta di mobilità, culturale e turistica del territorio. Su questo sito è inoltre possibile acquistare direttamente in modo semplice e sicuro tutti i servizi offerti.

VeneziaUnica.it è un’iniziativa di Ve.la. Spa, società partecipata dal Comune di Venezia e dall’Azienda Veneziana della Mobilità S.p.A.

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The Official City Pass of the City of Venice   BOOK IN ADVANCE AND SAVE!

MORE iNFORMATION

You can save by booking at least 30 days before arrival

V è nezia nelle tue mani!

CREA LA TUA VENEZIA UNICA

Scegli i servizi, ritira la tessera, you are here, practical information, useful information, tourist tax.

With this small sum, you can contribute to the protection and safeguarding of Venice: the funds raised will help the city to improve the quality of the tourist offer (local public services, museums, events, hospitality ...) and to finance maintenance, use and recovery of the cultural and environmental heritage of the Venetian territory.

Children under the age of 10 and disabled people are exempt from paying the tax; while for young people between 10 and 16 years of age a reduction of 50% is recognized.

To find out in detail all the rates, reductions and exemptions provided, visit the dedicated web page of the City of Venice  (in italian).

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Post office

Health Assistance

In case of an emergency, please ring 118 which is the national emergency number valid all over Italy, and active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The call is free on landlines and mobile phones.

Health network project

The “ Salute in rete ” project organized by the Local health and care services - Ulss 3 Serenissima - offers qualified medical and emergencies services to residents, tourists, business operators, workers, commuters and students through a network of medical centres, units and equipment:

• St. Mark's Square First Aid Point   Venice - Piazza San Marco 63/65 Procuratie Nuove
•   Piazzale Roma First Aid Point    Venice - Santa Croce 496 Piazzale Roma
• “Cardiac Life support” City :  50 defibrillators all over the city
• “health-in-touch” : service is also operative  in both Italian and English, from April 1st  to October 31st - 8 am to 6 pm,  to provide tourists with information on what to do, where to go or who to consult.

Pharmacies:

Pharmacies are open from 8.30am to12.30pm, and from 4.00pm to 8.00pm, Mondays to Fridays; and from 9.00am to 12.00 midday on Saturdays.  Opening hours are displayed at the entrance of each pharmacy, together with a night service roster. For more information please check pharmacies on duty

Doctor on call : This service is operative every day from 8.00pm to 8.00am the following day; and on days before holidays from 10.00am to 8.00am the following day; on holidays from 8.00am to 8.00pm.

• Centro Storico Venezia tel. 0039 041 5294060
• Lido Malmocco Alberoni tel. 0039 041 5267743
• Pellestrina tel. 0039 041 967549
• Burano tel. 0039 041 730005
• Murano S. Erasmo tel. 0039 041 5274078
• Cavallino Treporti Ca’ Savio tel. 0039 041 5300214
• Mestre Sud – Marghera – Mestre Nord tel. 0039 041 9657999
• Marcon Quarto d’Altino tel. 0039 0422 824146

Doctor on call for tourists

Exclusively for tourists  in summer, from 13th June to 15th September. Clinic hours and home calls every day from 8.30am to 1.30pm and from 2.30pm to 7.30pm.  The clinic is at Via Lisbona 1 Ca' Vio-Cavallino, Venice. Tel: 0039 041 5300874

DISTRETTO DEL VENEZIANO Venezia Centro Storico, Isole ed Estuario, Cavallino-Treporti DISTRETTO DEL VENEZIANO Venezia Terraferma, Marcon e Quarto d'Altino DISTRETTO DI MIRANO-DOLO DISTRETTO DI CHIOGGIA  

First aid point at Lido di Venezia:

Ospedale Al Mare - Centro Sanitario Polifunzionale - (Outpatients clinic)

Paediatric Wards

Ulss 3 Serenissima Venezia Ospedale SS. Giovanni e Paolo - Pediatria - (Peadiatric ward)  Ulss 3 Serenissima Ulss 3 Serenissima Mestre Ospedale dell’Angelo - Pediatria - (Peadiatric ward)

Non-urgent healthcare transport with different organizations,  see link Health assistance for foreigners in Italy, see link

Venice is unique, very precious, and VERY vulnerable; you support it with your stay: Funds collected through holiday/sojourn taxes contribute to enhancing, improving and updating the city,  ensuring  quality-increase in tourist services - local public services, museums, events, hospitality - and funding maintenance works, use and restoration of Venetian cultural  and environmental assets.

Luggage Storage

Venezia - Mestre Train Station The Luggage Storage Depot can be found inside the railway station, along platform 1. https://www.kibag.it/en/deposito-bagagli-venezia/deposito-kipoint-venezia-mestre/

Marco Polo Airport - Tessera (Venice) The left luggage office is on the ground floor outside the terminal next to Entrance 1 and it is run by Cooperativa Trasbagagli. phone (+39) 041 4581667 email: [email protected] https://www.veneziaairport.it/en/at-the-airport/left-luggage-and-porter-service.html

Luggage Storage Depot Cooperativa Trasbagagli at Piazzale Roma - Venice Safe luggage storage inside the City Parking Garage "Autorimessa Comunale". phone: +39 041 4581667 email: [email protected] https://www.trasbagagli.it/en/

Luggage Storage The Golden Luggage in Piazzale Roma - Venice Located three minutes walk from Venezia Santa Lucia train station and one minute from Piazzale Roma. address: Santa Croce 516, 30135 Venezia tel. (+39) 041 4765936 email: [email protected] www.thegoldenluggage.com

Automatic Luggage Storage with Lockers - STOW YOUR BAGS - Venice address 1: STAZIONE SANTA LUCIA - Cannaregio, Calle dello Spezier 193 30121 Venice address 2: RIALTO - San Marco, Calle de l'Orso 5512 A - 30124 Venice tel. (+39) 06 62270110 email:  [email protected] https://www.stowyourbags.com/en/shop/venice/

Automated luggage storage   Vaise - Venice address 1: San Marco - Fenice, Calle de Piscina de Frezzaria 1657, Venice address 2: Piazzale Roma - Terminal bus, Rio Terà Sant’Andrea 460, Venice cell: +39 334 1186460 email: [email protected] https://www.vaise.it/en/

Bounce Luggage Storage - Venice and Mestre Many luggage storage points at local businesses in Venice (Venezia Santa Lucia train station, Piazzale Roma, San Marco), Marco Polo Airport and Mestre. Online booking:  https://usebounce.com/city/venice

Luggage Storage Cooperativa Trasbagagli at Tronchetto - Venice The luggage storage is located close to the People Mover terminal. tel. (+39) 041 4581667 email: [email protected] https://www.trasbagagli.it/en/

Luggage carrier of the Port of Venice - Maritime Station address: Marittima, Fabbr. 103, 30135 Venice tel. (+39) 041 5334734 cell. (+39) 349 8635666 email: [email protected] https://www.port.venice.it/en/it/node/1692/left-luggage

Radical Storage Luggage Storage - Venice, Mestre, Murano Radical Storage provides luggage storage options all over Venice, including Venice Santa Lucia Station, Piazzale Roma, San Marco, Murano, Mestre, and Marco Polo Airport. Book online to get a 5% off: Radical Storage Venice E-mail: [email protected]

Discover the Venetian dialect

Discover the cooking

Murano Glass Trademark

The Island received world-wide recognition and became one of the “Made in Italy” symbols.

The Vetro Artistico® Murano trademark was officially instituted by the Veneto Region and registered at the European Office (Alicante) for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs).  It is managed by the Consorzio Promovetro di Murano, an organization born in 1985 to defend and promote the thousand-year-old Murano glass industry and to to enhance its image, world-wide. The usage of the Brand name is governed according to guidelines, and must be applied only to artistically-styled Murano glass products that have been created according to tradition, even though they may seem modern and innovative. The following products come under this classification - Products for lightings; acid-etched, sand-blasted, or cut engravings and decorations; murrine techniques, mirrors, beads, lampshades and glassware with various beadings.

• the Murano trademark guide
• Official Website

Seeing a master glass craftsman moulding raw materials still in the fire, is one of the most fascinating events even seen. As if by magic, shapes are born: fire, breath, pliers, a few simple hand movements, - but in reality, all comes about, after years and years of work and refinement of techniques, - an art handed down from one generation to another, over the centuries. Murano glass is a small secret hidden in a treasure chest in the Venetian lagoon.

Murano glass is prestigious. It is created and modelled by wise master craftsmen, who, still today, use a few simple steel tools, and repeat the same actions daily. Thus, each object is unique and inimitable. The mystery of water, fire and sand is part of our history, handed down over the ages from father to son. Finished products are like precious works of art.

The Gondola

The cost of a 30 minute gondola ride is €90.00 ; after 07:00 pm (until 3:00 am) € 110.00 for a 35-minute tour (maximum 5 people on board). The water tour can start from anywhere in the city, but most gondolas are usually found in the main canals, or near the Venetian alleys “ calli ” with the biggest tourist flow. All gondoliers wear the same sailor costume and straw hat.

Residents regularly use gondola ferries, to get from one side of the Grand Canal to the other. Therefore, the trip is always very short. For each crossing, there is a €2,00 tariff, payable to the gondolier where you get on board.

A list of operative gondola ferries ( traghetto ):

Santa Sofia - Rialto Market : from Monday to Friday from 08.30 am to 07.00 pm Saturdays, Mondays and Holidays from 09.00 am to 07.00 pm

San Tomà - Sant'Angelo : from Monday to Friday  from 09.30 am to 07.00 pm Saturdays, Mondays and Holi days from 09.00 am to 06.30 pm

Santa Maria del Giglio - San Gregorio : from 09.00 am to 06.00 pm

Riva del Carbon – Riva del Vin: from Monday to Friday, from 09.00 am to 12.00 noon

Punta della Dogana - Calle Vallaresso: from 09.00 am to 06.00 pm

Closed on 25th and 26th December, 1st January and 15th August. On 24th and 31st December the service will stop at 01:00 pm.

To get to the Lido , where you can go for a peaceful bike-ride especially on Sundays, please take the motor vessel line LN leaving from the Pietà jetty, near St. Mark's in the old city centre. The route ends at Santa Maria Elisabetta's jetty.

However, if you are in Mestre or Marghera, go along the bike-track from Ponte della Libertà to Tronchetto. When you get there, you can board the ferry going to San Nicolò at the Lido.

If you are coming from Punta Sabbioni, the southern end of the Cavallino-Treporti coastal area, please board motor vessel line LN. You will arrive at your destination in about half an hour.

To get to the island of Pellestrina if you are at the Lido – go to Santa Maria Elisabetta's Square and then towards Alberoni for about ten kilometres. Continue on for another kilometre until you reach the jetty in front of the Rochetta lighthouse where you can catch the ferry for Pellestrina.

When you get off the barge, go along the road for about eight kilometres - you can't get lost, it's the only one! - the road goes near old walls, and the awe-inspiring dyke made of Istrian stone during the Republic of Venice era to protect the lagoon banks from sea erosion.

You will arrive at the jetty to catch the motor vessel headed for Chioggia. You can take your bike on board with you!

To get to the island of Sant'Erasmo if you are at the old city centre, go to the Fondamenta Nuove pier, which is about a ten minute walk from Rialto. Get on the ACTV waterbus route No. 13 and take your bike with you. Within half an hour, you will reach the island considered by Venetians to be the historical vegetable garden of Venice. The island is famous for vineyards, fruit trees, and above all, vegetables, with the purple artichoke of Sant'Erasmo being the most famous.

At Mestre and on the Venetian mainland , you can go wild, because you've got a variety of bike-tracks to choose from.

We recommend…

Venice Boat Show

Buy the official merchandising of the Venice Boat Show online

Visit the online shop

VENICE ACCESS FEE

from April to July 2024, on some specific days ONLY

ACTV - PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN VENICE

Public Transport Services (vaporetto and buses in the City of Venice)

SCUOLA GRANDE DEI CARMINI

It houses numerous works of art including the ceiling with paintings by G.Tiepolo

Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Italy

Tourist tax collection and remittance options in italy.

In light of the 2024 Budget Law amendment to Law Decree 50/2017 effective 1 January 2024, Airbnb has the obligation to collect Tourist Taxes on behalf of short term rentals for stays up to 30 days (“locazione breve”). If you are a short term rental Host in a municipality that imposes a Tourist Tax, Airbnb will collect and remit this on your behalf. This  list provides the short term rental categories for which we will collect and remit Tourist Taxes.

I’m a host offering other types of accommodations that do not qualify as a short-term rental (e.g. an extra-hotel accommodation facility): what should I do?

If you are a host offering other types of accommodations that do not qualify as a short-term rental (i.e. a listing with a category that is not on this list) and your municipality imposes a Tourist Tax, you are responsible for collecting and remitting tourist taxes.

To learn more about how to collect tourist taxes manually, see How does manual occupancy tax collection and payment work?

My City opted to use the pass through tax feature where I set up the rules in my account and Airbnb remitted the Tourist Taxes to the authorities. What do I do now? Nothing! Airbnb will now collect and remit the Tourist Tax on behalf of short term rentals in your area.

I’m a host offering a short-term rental where Airbnb already collects and remits Tourist Tax: what has changed? 

If you are a host with a listing in one of the municipalities listed below (see the “Default Tourist Tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Italy” section below), Airbnb will continue to collect and remit the Tourist Tax on your behalf unless otherwise noted. There will be no change—Airbnb will continue to collect and remit as we are today. See below for more information.

Default occupancy taxes collection and remittance by Airbnb in Italy

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Arzachena, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 3% of the listing price including any cleaning fees, with a maximum of 5 € per person per night, for reservations 7 nights and shorter in Arzachena, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Arzachena website .

Bagno a Ripoli

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Bagno a Ripoli, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 1.50 € per person per night, up to a maximum of 7 nights for reservations in Bagno a Ripoli, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Bagno a Ripoli website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Bergamo, Italy will pay the following tax as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 6% of the listing price, with a maximum of 5 € per person per night, for reservations 5 nights and shorter in Bergamo, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Bergamo's website .

Guests who book Airbnb STRs listings that are located in the City of Bologna, Italy, will pay the following tax as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 7.5% of the listing price with a maximum of 5 € per person per night, for reservations 30 nights and shorter in Bologna, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Bologna's website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Catania, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 2 € per person per night, up to a maximum of 4 nights for reservations in Catania, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Catania website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Florence, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 5.5 € per person per night, up to a maximum of 7 nights for reservations in Florence, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Florence’s Tourist Tax website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Genoa, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Municipal Tourist Tax: 3.00 € per person per night, up to a maximum of 8 nights for reservations in Genoa, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Genoa’s website .

Golfo Aranci

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Golfo Aranci, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 5% of the listing price, with a max of 5 € per person per night, including any cleaning fees for reservations up to 30 nights in Golfo Aranci, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Golfo Aranci's website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in La Spezia, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 2.50 € per person per night for reservations up to 5 nights in La Spezia, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the La Spezia Imposta di Soggiorno website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Lecce, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 3% of the listing price including any cleaning fees, with a maximum of 5 € per person per night, for reservations 5 nights and shorter in Lecce, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Lecce website.

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Lissone, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 2.00 € per person, per night for reservations 20 nights and shorter. For detailed information, visit the Municipality of Lissone website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Lucca, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 2.50 € per person per night for reservations up to 3 nights in Lucca, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Lucca's website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Milan, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 4.50 € per person per night, up to a maximum of 14 nights for reservations in Milan, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Milan’s website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Naples, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 3 € per person per night, up to a maximum of 14 nights for reservations in Naples, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Naples' website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Olbia, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 5% of the listing price including any cleaning fees, with a max of 5 € per person per night, reservations up to 7 nights in Olbia, Italy. For detailed information,please visit the Municipality of Olbia's website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Palermo, Italy will pay the following tax and fees as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 2 € per person per night, up to a maximum of 4 nights for reservations in Palermo, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Palermo’s website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Parma, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 3% of the listing price including any cleaning fees, with a maximum of 5 € per person per night, for reservations 5 nights and shorter in Parma, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Parma website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Posada, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 3% of the listing price including any cleaning fees, with a max of 5 € per person per night, for reservations up to 30 nights in Posada, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Posada’s website .

Guests who book Airbnb STRs listings that are located in Rimini, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 5% of the listing price, with a maximum of 5 € per person per night, for reservations 30 nights and shorter in Rimini, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Rimini’s website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Rome, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 3.00 - 7.00 € per person per night, depending on the listing category, up to a maximum of 5-10 nights for reservations in Rome, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Rome website .

Santa Teresa Gallura

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Santa Teresa Gallura, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 6% of the listing price including any cleaning fees, with a max of 5 € per person per night, for reservations up to 15 nights in Santa Teresa Gallura, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Santa Teresa Gallura’s website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Siena, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 2 € per person per night, up to a maximum of 4 nights for reservations in Siena, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Siena’s website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Stintino, Italy will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 3% of the listing price including any cleaning fees, with a maximum of 5 € per person per night, for all reservations in Stintino, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Stintino website .

Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in Turin, Italy will pay the following tax as part of their reservation:

• Tourist Tax: 2.30 € per person per night, up to a maximum of 7 nights for reservations in Turin, Italy. For detailed information, please visit the Municipality of Turin’s website .

Find out more about how occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb works .

Note: Hosts located in these areas are responsible for assessing all other tax obligations, including state and city jurisdictions. Hosts with listings in these areas should also review their agreement with Airbnb under the Terms of Service and familiarize themselves with the Occupancy Tax provisions which allow us to collect and remit taxes on their behalf and explain how the process works. Under those provisions, hosts instruct and authorize Airbnb to collect and remit Occupancy Taxes on their behalf in jurisdictions where Airbnb decides to facilitate such collection. If a host believes applicable laws exempt the host from collecting a tax that Airbnb collects and remits on the host's behalf, the host has agreed that, by accepting the reservation, the host is waiving that exemption. If a host does not want to waive an exemption the host believes exists, the host should not accept the reservation.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Lake Como is adopting a ‘tourist fee’ like Venice – but is it justified?

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The gorgeous Italian locale of Lake Como is planning to follow in the footsteps of Venice by introducing a tourist tax.

The travel hotspot, located in Lombardo, northern Italy, attracts around 1.4 million visitors a year. It was used as a glamorous backdrop in Lady Gaga ’s film House of Gucci, and the James Bond flick Casino Royale. 

Alessandro Rapinese, mayor of Como city, said the idea of a tourist tax – an extra charge for visitors to wander around the area – is under consideration.

‘We are already discussing the idea [of a tourist tax]. Revolutions begin with concrete measures and we are ready for this long journey,’ Alessandro told The Times . 

He added: ‘[It’s] difficult to be mayor when you are fighting tourism.’

Alessandro’s model will likely be similar to the new tourist tax in Venice . It would apply to people who only visit for the city for the day, and might only be levied during public holidays and weekends. 

What are tourist taxes and why are they being introduced?

You’re already forking out for your foreign holiday, so a tourist tax might seem unfair – but your money does go to a good cause and travel experts do believe the move is more than justified.

‘The tourism industry does have a responsibility to support destinations and their residents, as well as tourists,’ Laura Evans-Fisk, head of digital engagement at eurochange tells Metro.co.uk.

‘Ultimately, people visit Lake Como for its astounding beauty and amazing food , and there is a level of expectation that it will be a clean, safe place. There is naturally a cost for the upkeep of this.

‘Whilst tourist taxes are a bugbear for visitors, revenues from tourist tax do go towards supporting investment for tourist infrastructure, and the myriad of improvements that make a destination more attractive.’

Put simply, tourist taxes will make your travelling experiences better in the long run and ensure these areas remain great places to visit.

It is currently unclear how much Lake Como’s tourist tax will be if the mayor gets his way and the fee is introduced.

What’s the difference between tourist tax and city tax?

While city taxes are also sometimes referred to as ‘tourist taxes’ because they’re for… well, tourists, there is a key difference.

City taxes are for those staying in a hotel, B&B, vacation rental or hostel. They vary in price depending on the location and the type of accommodation and are usually paid upon check-out.

Tourist taxes, meanwhile, are entrance fees that were originally designed to prevent overcrowding and generate revenue for upkeep and maintenance.

Although Venice , Bali and now Lake Como have made headlines recently for their newly-introduced or proposed tourist taxes, they aren’t a new thing. Bhutan has been charging tourists entry fees since 1974 – and pretty hefty ones at that. It was only in 2022, amid the pandemic, that entrance fees were halved from $200 (around £160) to $100 (around £80).

Why is Venice introducing a tourist tax?

To say that Venice is popular is a huge understatement. It’s estimated that about 30 million tourists walk through the narrow streets of the sinking city each year. Most of these people are day-trippers; only around 3.2 million people stayed overnight in 2022, far higher than the estimated 50,000 residents that call the area home.

The Venice Access Fee is a pay-to-enter charge specifically aimed at day visitors, following years of debates around the topic of overtourism.

From April 25, tourists planning to touch down for the day will have to pay €5 (£4.30). Residents, commuters, students and children under 14 will be exempt, as will tourists staying overnight.

The tourist fee will be tested on select dates throughout May, June and July.

What else is Venice doing to tackle overtourism?

Venice City Council has also confirmed plans to limit the number of groups that can travel to the city.

Beginning on June 1, guided groups travelling to the UNESCO world heritage site, as well as the equally tempting islands of Burano and Torcello, will be limited to a maximum of 25 people. This is approximately half the capacity of a standard tour bus – which can usually accommodate 50 passengers. 

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The rule aims to cut down pedestrian traffic in immensely popular areas such as Piazza San Marco and Murano’s Via del Giudecca.

The Countries charging tourists to visit landmarks

Earlier this year it was confirmed that Mount Fuji in Japan is the latest major attraction to charge tourists to visit.

The impressive mountain – which is an active volcano and the highest peak in Japan – attracts thousands of climbers every year. In 2023, 221,322 people made the ascent.

Concerns over rubbish and the safety of hikers has prompted Japanese authorities to impose the new tax – the price of which is yet to be announced.

Lots of in-demand destinations in Europe are implementing levies for tourists just like Venice. Less than a three-hour flight from London, the stunning beaches of the Algarve in Portugal is planning to follow suit. The Algarve is introducing a tourist tax which could ‘raise millions’ for the area, at the expense of holidaymakers’ budget trips.

If you’re visiting the southern Portuguese region, you’ll have to cough up £1.70 per person, per night, for up to a week between the months of March and September.

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This popular European city is the latest to increase its tourist tax to battle overtourism

Barcelona is the latest European city to increase its city-wide tourist tax, a slight increase of €0.50 (about $0.53) per night, as the city seeks to curb overtourism. 

The new price of €3.25 (about $3.45) was implemented on April 1 as part of the Stays in Tourist Establishments Tax . The bylaw was introduced in 2021, when the tourist tax was €0.75 (around $0.80) per night, and gradually increased the tax each year through 2024. Now, if someone is staying in Barcelona for seven nights, the new total tax amount will be €22.75 (around $24).

“It was the objective sought: to contain the number of tourists and increase tourist income because our model is no longer mass tourism but quality tourism, which adds value to the city,” deputy mayor Jaume Collboni said in March, according to Euronews . 

The tax is added to a tourist’s accommodations bill when they stay at official tourist establishments in the city. The money goes toward enhancing the city’s infrastructure, such as improving roads. 

Other popular European destinations, such as Amsterdam and Venice, also recently increased tourist taxes for similar reasons. 

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Are tourist taxes the future of travel? What to know about the increasing tourist fees worldwide.

“The new and increasing tourist fees across Europe allow cities to fund measures to attract more vacationers, support the local infrastructure and businesses, as well as preventing damages from overtourism,” Tiffany Mealiff, a travel insurance expert at Quotezone , said in a statement to USA TODAY.

However, Barcelona visitors have had to pay a regional tourist tax since 2012, according to Euronews . This tax amount depends on a traveler’s accommodation type, costing more if someone is staying at a luxury hotel than an Airbnb. 

Barcelona continues to reign as Spain’s most popular tourist destination. In 2022, Barcelona welcomed 9.7 million tourists , just slightly below pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to the Barcelona City Council. However, tourists were found to be staying in the city longer than in 2019. 

In 2022, the city also sought to cap the number of people in a tour group and ban megaphones by tour guides in an effort to curb the disruptive effects of overtourism. 

Travelers planning their European getaway should be mindful of the additional costs that “are often not obvious beforehand,” according to Mealiff, as they plan their trip budgets.

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected] .

Tourism taxes are making international trips more expensive

Editor's Note

As you budget for a trip , the list of expenses to consider is long. Sure, there are the big-ticket costs, such as airfare, lodging, theme park tickets and car rentals. But, as every traveler knows, that's often just the beginning. Airline fees, resort charges , food, souvenirs, highway tolls and other extras drive up the overall cost of a trip.

Increasingly, travelers have also had to consider another extra: tourism taxes .

Barcelona recently made headlines after announcing it would hike its tourism tax for the second time in four years. Originally implemented in the early 2010s to combat overtourism, the city's tax on visitors varies based on whether you're staying in a hotel, opting for an ultra-high-end hotel, renting a vacation rental through a platform like Airbnb or visiting as a cruise passenger.

Barcelona isn't alone.

This spring, the ever-popular destination of Venice, Italy, is deploying its long-discussed tourist tax . It's charging daytrippers 5 euros ($5.43) on certain peak days.

Depending on the destination, you may find tourism taxes or similar fees tacked onto your hotel bill or charged upon arrival across many destinations worldwide.

Sure, they're typically not large enough to make you consider altering your travel plans. However, they are another line to add to your trip budget, whether you're heading to a hotel in the U.S. or abroad to places like Manchester, England; Barcelona; the Balearic Islands in Spain; and New Zealand.

More places may start charging them soon.

Passing costs on to tourists

Governments have long sought to pass costs onto tourists in some form or another.

The amount you pay for most hotel rooms in the U.S. usually includes an additional tax beyond what you'd pay for a purchase at a retailer.

In 2022, while on assignment for TPG in New York, I saw a $38 charge for various city and state taxes (totaling 17% of the rate) on top of my $219 room rate at the Moxy NYC Times Square. That was in addition to the hotel's $30 destination fee.

You'll find this setup all over the world ... and it has been around for years.

The city of Amsterdam, for instance, charges a 7% fee on hotel rooms, along with 3 euros ($3.26) per person, per night.

In Paris, how much you pay in room tax depends, more or less, on how nice the hotel is. The fees top out at around $4 per night for a luxury hotel or similar accommodations; it may be something to keep in mind as you plan a trip to Paris for the 2024 Olympics this summer .

Last year, Manchester became the first city in the United Kingdom to charge a tourism tax; visitors staying in city center hotels or at rental properties pay 1 British pound ($1.22) per night.

Extra charges beyond hotels

In recent years, tourist payments have grown to not only include taxes on airfare and hotel stays, but also stand-alone fees for merely visiting the destination itself.

Bhutan may be the most notable example. The country typically charges a flat rate of $200 or more per day. You get a lot for your money, though: The fee includes decent lodging, meals, ground transportation, camping equipment and a tour guide.

However, it's worth noting Bhutan will be offering a temporary (though long-lasting) 50% discount on the fee over the next few years. Late last summer, the government revealed tourists will be charged $100 per day through Aug. 31, 2027, to incentivize travel, according to the country's tourism authority .

Even considering that discount, most tourist fees are considerably smaller than Bhutan's. For example, visitors from most countries pay about $24 upon entering New Zealand as part of its International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy.

Still, when you plan a trip, the costs can add up; these extra taxes and fees are increasingly expenses for which you'll want to account.

Why are so many places adding tourism taxes?

There are various reasons why cities, regions and countries are adding these taxes and fees.

Infrastructure is a big part of the reason in some places. Tourists strain the environment, from creating trash to using city services, riding public transportation and crowding streets in popular destinations.

In Wales, the government is considering allowing nightly visitor levies of between 0.5 and 5 pounds (61 cents to $6.10) per night; officials say any taxes "will generate revenue to support investment in the tourism industry."

In 2022, New Zealand's tourism minister hinted that increases to the country's tourism tax may come after noting pre-coronavirus pandemic tourism levels were "unsustainable." This is the same word a 2019 Cornell University report used about the "extremely rapid growth" of tourism in Southeast Asia.

Elsewhere, the motivation has much to do with the impacts of climate change.

Hawaii tourism tax talks revived

In his State of the State address in February, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green proposed a $25 fee on visitors when they arrive and check into a hotel or short-term rental. The proposal came after past years' discussions of tourism taxes in the highly visited state — including a proposal that stalled in the state's legislature last year.

Calling it a "modest fee" that pales in comparison to other resort fees charged to visitors, Green said the levy would generate more than $68 million annually from visitors. He said the state would invest this money into beach preservation and fire safety and prevention measures to stop another tragedy like last summer's wildfires in Maui .

"The responsibility to protect Hawaii's unique natural environment should extend to visitors to our islands," Green said in his speech . "I believe this is not too much to ask of visitors to our islands."

Galapagos Islands' national park entry fees

Similarly, leaders in Ecuador have grown concerned about the effects of increased tourism in the Galapagos Islands.

Starting later this year, entry fees for most visitors to Galapagos National Park will double.

As of Aug. 1, visitors who live outside South America will have to pay $200 (instead of $100) to enter the park, according to the nonprofit Galapagos Conservation Trust; reduced fees will be available for children 12 and under, and entry will be free for children younger than 2.

The move comes following "worrying growth" in the number of visitors.

"This is pushing waste management systems to the limit, exacerbating water and food insecurity, and increasing the threat of devastating invasive species being introduced to the islands," the organization said in a statement , noting it's the park's first fee increase since 1998.

Concerns growing about preserving iconic sites

A 2022 report from the World Travel & Tourism Council — published just as travel began to bounce back from the pandemic — stressed the importance of a "renewed commitment and interest" from travelers "to preserving our planet and the people and communities who are a part of it."

In Venice, leaders have pointed to massive tourist numbers in recent years as underscoring the need for the upcoming changes as the Italian city contends with its place on UNESCO's list of endangered World Heritage Sites .

"The goal is to find a new balance between the rights of those who live and work in Venice and those who intend to visit the city," Gabriele Vattolo, the city's press secretary, said in a statement to TPG.

Similarly, in the Spanish city of Seville, leaders recently unveiled plans to charge nonresident visitors an entry fee to the famed Plaza de Espana — an iconic, nearly century-old landmark known for its rich history and cinematic appearance in the "Star Wars" saga.

"With the city council's budget alone we cannot preserve our heritage, nor guarantee the safety of the monument," Seville Mayor José Luis Sanz wrote in a Feb. 26 post (translated from Spanish) on X.

In the post, Sanz shared a video that showed dense crowds in Plaza de Espana, with street vendors, trash, and wear and tear to the landmark.

Bottom line

Out-of-town guests have long been asked to support the communities they're visiting in the form of taxes added to nightly hotel bills.

As travel has surged over the last two years in the wake of the pandemic, it seems cities — and, indeed, countries — are increasingly looking to have visitors help pay for the costs (both financial and environmental) that tourism incurs.

With that in mind, you'll want to factor these added costs into your next trip budget on top of the pricier expenses you're already considering, such as airfare and the advertised hotel rate.

As always, if paying these tourism fees with a credit card is an option (and won't cost you more in processing fees), select the card in your wallet that doesn't have foreign transaction fees and earns you the most rewards on everyday expenses . This will be your best bet to get something back for your purchase.

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